TN Minister Draws Parallel With 'Draupadi' On North Indians, Sparks Row: 'Their Women Marry 5 Or 10 Men'

The North-South divide in India intensified on Thursday after senior Tamil Nadu minister Durai Murugan made controversial remarks about North Indian culture, alleging it involved polygamy and issuing a stark warning against insulting the Tamil language.

His comments come amid rising tensions over the proposed delimitation exercise, which has fuelled concerns in Tamil Nadu about its parliamentary representation, as well as an ongoing language debate.

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Speaking at a public gathering, Murugan, known to be a loose cannon, claimed that unlike Tamil customs, North Indian traditions permitted multiple spouses, reported India Today.

Referring to the Mahabharata, the minister suggested that North Indian culture allowed "one woman to marry five or ten men". His remarks are widely interpreted as alluding to Draupadi's marriage to the five Pandavas.

"One man marries one woman in our culture. But in North India, one woman can marry five or ten men. Also, five men can marry one woman. This is their culture. If one goes, another will come," Murugan stated.

The controversy is centred around the issue of delimitation, with Tamil Nadu fearing a reduction in its parliamentary representation should the process be carried out based on the latest population figures.

Murugan criticised past central governments for advising the southern states to control their population, arguing that Tamil Nadu had complied while North India had not.

"Congress and whoever ruled at the Centre asked us to control the population... We did this then and now the population has reduced. But in North India, the population did not go down. They gave birth to 17, 18, 19 children. They have no other job," the senior DMK leader remarked.

The minister also took issue with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's recent comments about DMK MPs in Parliament. Murugan warned against insulting Tamils, stating:

"Coming from this stinking culture, and you are calling us uncivilised? We will cut your tongue. Be careful."

Earlier this week, during a debate in the Lok Sabha over the 'three-language formula' in the National Education Policy (NEP), Union Minister Pradhan accused the Tamil Nadu government of being "dishonest" and making a "U-turn" regarding the implementation of the PM SHRI scheme for schools.

BJP leader Amar Prasad Reddy condemned Murugan's remarks, demanding an apology from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin.

"Stalin must apologise to our North Indian brothers and sisters! This kind of derogatory remark is unacceptable and exposes DMK's deep-seated hatred. Stalin's silence is proof of his party's anti-North Indian mindset," Reddy tweeted.